Loom



A. LE BLANC.

.LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 24. 915- RENEWED APR. 14,1921.

Patented May 24,1921.

-':/SHEETS--SHEET A. LE BLANC.

100M. APPLICATION FILED MAR 24. 1915- RENEWED APR. 14, 1921. 1,379,194.

Patentd May 24, 1921.

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. LE BLANC.

- LOOM.

APPLICATION FILED'MMLZM 101.5. RENEWED APR. I4. 1921.

Patented May 24, 1921 5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W R M NW MAW QN NW N? Y m m v 4 23 we o o v. o o 7 o o o lm/We A, LE BLANC.

1.00M. APPLICATION FILED MAR 241 1815. RENEWED APR. I4, 1512!.

I Patented May 24,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXIS LE BLANC, on NEW YORK, n. Y., assrenon rocoiuros rn E'rA LA'IH COMPANY, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A conronn'rron on NEW YORK.

Looivr.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented ll l ay 24, 1921.

Application filed March 24-, 1915, Serial No. 16,625. Renewed April 14, 1921. Serial No. 461,367.

To whom may concern: I

Be it known that I, ALnXIs Ln BLANG, a citizen oi the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description 01" the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to looms. Its object is to provide means for positively and rapidly moving the weft supporting means or shuttle through the shed while at the same time avoiding the warp strands. To this end the invention comprises the combinations and details set forth in the appended claims.

I have provided a powerful and simple construction by which the shuttle and the sluittle-oarrier run in paths parallel to and on opposite sides oithe lower rank of warp strands, the connection between the two traveling with the shuttle and on the same side, without in any way disturbing the warp strands, a feature of especial importance in a machine for weaving wire, for example. By my construction I provide for the use of a large shuttle occupyingpractically the whole of the vertical space of the shed, and I greatly enhance the certainty and speed of operation, while decreasing the initial cost and operating expenses, especially in machines of the kind tor which my device is particularly intended, as hereinafter stated.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the shuttle carrying mechanism;

l 2 is a partial front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation;

Fig. 4-, is an elevation of the operating mechanism with diagrammatic and sectional detail accompaniments Fig. 5 is a detail of the double sheaved pulley of the operating lever;

Fig. 6 is a detail of a part ofthe rack;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the shuttle mechanism in relation to other parts of the loom and in operation;

l 8 is a sectional detail of guiding brackets for the shuttle carrier; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail showing the location of the shuttle race-way on the machine and indicating the inclined position it has in practice, the other views for convenience of illustration being vertically arranged with the exception of Fig. 7 which is also inclined as in actual use.

In this preferred form of my invention the shuttle is carried positively from side to side and through the shed of the warp strands by a mechanism located beneath the warp strands and which imparts a gradually accelerated movement to the shuttle from the side to the center, gradually decreasing the movement until it comes to rest, thus alternating as the shuttle is carried from side to side in the operation of weaving.

The shuttle is borne by cupped wheels with cuspidal openings, one being located at each corner of the frame which carries the bobbin, the lips of the cupped wheels turning in arc grooves in the shuttle-carrier thus supporting the bobbin-frame, the wheels traveling in the plane of the lower rank of warp strands. The openings in the wheels turn over each strand in succession so that, as before stated, the shuttle, in effect, passes directly across or through the lower rank of warp strands without touching or disturbing them.

In this preferred form-I secure the rotation of the cupped wheels which support the bobbin-frame by means of gear-wheels on one end of each sha it which bears the cupped wheels, the gear-wheels engaging a rackbar as the shuttle is reciprocated so that they are rotated and in turn rotate the cupped.

wheels as the shuttle is swept across the race way. Inasmuchas the warp strands lie in different planes as alternate sheds. are formed I provide for shifting the rack-bar so that it shall be in coincidence with the location of the lower rank of warp strands at each operation of the shuttle.

With my shuttle mechanism as herein set forth I may use a reed in the customary manner between the shuttle and the roll or other device which receives the mesh, or I may dispense with the reed. In the construction illustrated herein 1 have also pro'- vided means forregulating the action of the wire upon the spool or bobbin and details which. combine to secure certainty and rapidity of operation.

As illustrated in the drawings, the shiittle is supported from the frame of the machine and in this preferred form rolls back and forth upon the race-way upon roller bearings though it may, of course, be arranged to slide back and forth upon the race-way.

10 represents a standard rail whose foot, in j and has'mounted on its upper surface a longitudinal beam 12, here illustrated as substantially square in crosssection and as having secured on the top a longitudinal flat bar 13. Beneath the bar 13 extend the arms of brackets 131, one at each corner, which serve to keep the shuttle frame in. place. A bearing-block 1 lstraddles the beam 12 and the bar 13 and has j ournaled in it rollers 15 adapted to travel on the face of the rail 10. Secured to the bearif g- 14 is a hearing-shoe 16 which, herein; or described, is reciprocated: back and forth with the bearing-frame 14' carrying with it the shuttle and its parts. In the'beari 5- shoe 16 are recesses 171to provide room or the rotation ofthe rollers 15v At each outer end the bearing-shoe 16 is recessed or grooved as indicated at 18. These arc grooves are the guides and base of what may be termed a floating or shifting bearing for the bobbin-frame. j

The body of the frame of-the bobbin is illustrated at 19, and in this frame is journaled a spoolor bobbin 20. 21 represents wheels journaled on shafts 22, one at each corner of the frame. These wheels 21 have inward circumferential lips 23, each adapted to fit and engage an arc groove 18 in the bearing-shoe 16, so that the bobbin-frame has its weight supported through the guiding and supporting wheels on the curved surfaces of these grooves. The wheels are also cut out as indicated at 24:,the openings being preferably, as illustrated, of cuspidal form, this form being adapted to conform to the apparent path described by each statiouary warp strand as these wheels run forward across the plane of the warp strands receiving in the openingssuccessive strands.

t oneend of each of the shafts 22 is a gear-wheel 25 with compound cycloidal teeth formed in the familiar manner. The gear-wheels engage a rack-bar 26 having cured to it a side-bar 27 supported on a bar 28 secured in turn to a bracket 29 fastened to the T-rail 10. The shuttle, 19--20, then, is guided bythe wheels 21 and and these parts move with the shuttle-carrier 1.&-16, the teeth of the wheels 21 projecting between strands of the lower rank. A bolt 30 passes through a slot 31 in the bar 27 permitting a sliding'movement of the rack-bar 26 that its pockets which receive the teeth of the gear-wheel 25 may be shifted as the lower ranks of the warp strands change. That is to'say, in one movement of the harness one rank of warp strands will be brought to a certain position. l Vhen the next shed is formed the accnt rank of warp strands ".vill be brought to a position which will. be

rotate the strands may lie substantially in the radial center of the successive openings. The reciprocation of the rack-bar is'accomplished by means of a lever 32 pivoted to the frame of the machine at 33 and having its upper rounded end working w .hin a socket member secured to "he rack-bar 26. The lower end of the lever 32 is forked as shown at 34L and the fork straddles a sh aft 35 carried by the machine frame and driven in an obvious manner by the customary mechanism of the machine. The shaft 35 carries a cammember 36 which revolves at a predetermined point so as to oscillate the lever 32 and thereby give a slight reciprocating movement, as before described, to the raclebar 26. fit is obvious that the shuttle may be reciprocated by various mechanisms but I prefer a mechanism which I have here illustra ted because it gives precisely the desired 'motion to the shuttle and operates addivision of a double sheared pulley 4:0 to a spring connection ll and from the other direction half around the other member of the doubled sheaved pulley to an opposite sp ing connection The pulley 40 is can ried on the free end of an arm l3, pivoted at 430, which bears substantlally centrally a slot or a slotted reinforcement 44: in which takes a pin on the end of a lever 4-5, pivoted at 46, and drivenby a pitman {l7 connected witha crank-arm 48. The movement of the pulley 40 is just one-half the movement of the shuttle. -The shuttle travels the full width of the machine and consequently at an average speed twice that of the pulley 40. Furthermore, in accordance with the principles which govern the operation of this form of power transmitting device, the shuttle will start slowly and gradually increase its speed to the center and then decrease in speed gradually till it comes to rest at the other end. 1 v e I have provided also for controlling the feed of the weft strand from the spool and its feed from the shuttle after it leaves the spool. It is necessary to keep taut the strands on the bobbin to eliminate any jerk at the end of a stroke To this end I have provided on the end of the shaft carrying the spool, another spool L9 which provides a housing for a coil spring 50, one end of which is secured to the spool 49, while the opposite end is secured to the frame of the shuttle. The spring is wound to exert a tension on the bobbin, the spring being. in tightly wound position as the weaving material is unwound. In order that the weft strand may not be unwound from the spool until it is subjected to adetermined tension there is provided on the outer side of the spool 4-9 a friction washer 51 of leather or other material, one side of this washer bearing tightly against the spool 49 while a clamping washer or nut 52 bears against the opposite side. This arrangement permits the bobbin to pay out the weft strand as it travels baclward and forward while the spring 50 keeps the strand taut and takes up the slack at each end of the stroke due to the return movement of the shuttle.

As the weft strand leaves the bobbin it passes between grooved guide rollers which are carried by a sliding frame 5 located upon the frame of the shuttle and having extending outward rods 55 passing through bearings 56 on the shuttle frame, and having interposed between thebearings and the pulley frame a coil spring 57. This spring serves to take up the shock incident to the sudden return movement of the shuttle as it operates forward and backward across the machine.

My invention while having a broad range is especially adapted to be used instead of the shuttle mechanism illustrated in the application of F. Nossagk, Serial No. 8%,408, filed June 20, 1914, and assigned to the Com posits Metal Lath Company of New York, N. Y.

In that machine the wires are woven in a quadrangular mesh and this mesh is taken by the press rolls and conjunctive mechanism, brought to a precise unit. and given a.

coating of clay or other material, the thus coated article being treated in various ways to complete it ready for burning in an oven to produce the finished product with buttons of clay or patterned brick at the intersecting points.

In Fig. 7 the parts are shown assembled and in operation in that machine. The harness is shown at 58, the toothed guide plate through which the lower rank of warp strands pass at 59, the reed at 60 and the toothed wheel which receives the strands from the shuttle and holds the loops of the selvage while the strands are being carried backward and forward and made into a quadrangular mesh at 6 T have also indicated the various wires. the warp wires in this case being shown by straight lines. The incidental features which appear in connection with. this illustration are not necessary to further describe, it being intended merely to indicatethus the well understood relation which these parts have in such a loom.

In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown the alternating relation ofthe warp strands indicating the upper rank above the figure and using arrows to show the direction which will be taken by those strands on the next operation. It will be observedfthat the upper rank alternates with the lower rank which would necessarily follow from the operation of harness as illustrated in Fig. 7.

Also, in Fig. 1, I have shown the relation of the shed to the shuttle-frame, there incating the ranks of warp strands by means of dot and dash lines. It will be observed that the lower rank of strands is shown as passing above the shuttle cariuer and the roller-frame, through the cupped wheels of the bobbin-frame, and beneath thebobbin. This figure also indicates the possibility of this construction in which the bobbin fills practically the whole of the space of the shed permitting the use of a large bobbin carrying a great quantity of weaving material.

In Fig. 3, also, is clearly indicated the manner in which the cupped wheels travel across the plane of the lower rank of warp strands and the manner in which the gearwheels engage the rack-Jar and at the same time pass through the lower rank of warp strands without touching them. This figure also illustrates the relation of the two ranks of strands and the recesses of the rack-bar, and the relation of the shifting mechanism to the relative positions of the ranks of warp strands.

In Fig. 7 is shown in illustrative form the relation of these parts to the various strands in actual. operatiomthe opening of of a wheel having just left one warp strand encircling the next and the weft wire beginning to pay out to the adjacent tooth of the wheel 61, from which it will slip to the next tooth to the rear to be then fed oil the press-rolls of the lath-making machine or to a reel or other structure in accordance with the class of machines in which this mechanism may be used.

In my loom thus described it is apparent that the shuttle is carried positively completely through the shed at each operation I and that the shuttle while crossing the shed always bears a definite relation to the warps. renderingthe beating of the warps impossible until the shuttle has completed its travel.

My mechanism enables me to give practi cally unlimited shuttle travel and to secure a high speed because the strands do not touch any part of the shuttle during its travel across the shed. In fact, the speed of operation is limitedonly by the weight of the'parts which'are operated. I am enabled also with this simplec'onstruction to give the shuttle a rugged character permitting of high'speed and certainty of operation. I he entire support of the shuttle being below the plane of the lower rank of warp strands permits the use of a bobbin whose diameter is nearly as great as that of the shed and the bobbin can'bemade as longas desired within practical limits so that I am enabled to usegreat quantities of weaving material on a single bobbin. By arranging and timing the guiding wheels of the shuttle so that spaces are provided for only one set of warp strands at one stroke of the shuttle and by means of the short movement which re-tiin s the guiding and supporting cupped wheels for the other set of warps on the return stroke I make possible the use of larger bearing surfaces of the wearing parts of the shuttle members, besides providing for a large range in the sizes of the warp strands and in the mesh of the product.

I have used the term wheels to designate the parts 21, because it is a conven ent term to designate a moving supporting connection between the shuttle and the shuttle carrier.

Having fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a loom, the combination of'a shuttle. a shuttlecarrier and wheels carried by and supporting the shuttle and having members projecting between strands of the lower rank, the shuttle and the wheels traveling on one side of the lower rank of warp strands, the shuttle-carrier traveling on the other side.

2. In a wire-weaving lOOlIntt shuttle and shuttle-carrier, means for carrying the shuttle and shuttle-carrier to and fro and means for relatively positioning the shuttle-carrier and the lower rank of warp strands between strokes. I

3. Ina wire-weaving loom, a shuttle having bearing and operating means adapted to straddle each lower warp strand in succession, and means for maintaining a uniform relation of the shuttle bearing and operating means with reference to the position of the lower warp strands in each traverse of the shuttle.

4. In a loom, a shuttle comprisingv guiding wheels. having recesses arranged with reference to the position of the strands of the'lower rank of the warp strands, and means for re-timing the wheels so that they will turn over the succeeding rank of warp strands on the return movement.

7 5. In a loom, the combination with a shuttle-carrier having arc-shaped grooves at each end, of a bobbin-frame carrying cupped wheels at each end, the lips of the wheels turning in the arc-shaped grooves to hold the bobbin-frame in position, and means for positively 7 In a loom, the combination with a raceway, of a grooved shuttle-carrier having roller bearings traveling on the race-way,

' cupped wheels engaging the grooves in the shuttle-carrier, and means for positively reciprocating the shuttle-carrier.

8. In a loom, the combination of a shuttle, cupped guiding and supporting wheels carrying a bobbin-frame on the shuttle, a shuttle carrier, are grooves in the shuttlecarrier with which the lips of the guiding wheels engage, and means for rotating the supporting wheels when the shuttle is operated.

9. In a loom, the combination of a bobbin, a frame carrying the bobbin, a shaft at each end of the frame, cupped wheels borne by the shafts, grooves in the base of the frame which the wheels engage, a gear-wheel on one end of each shaft and a rack bar. for receiving the rack-wheels, and means for reciprocating the bobbin-frame.

10. In a loom, a shuttle, means for positively operatin the shuttle, a race-way on which the shuttIe travels, a rack-bar, a gearwheel on the shuttle for engaging therackbar and means for shifting the rack-bar at each reciprocation of the shuttle.

11. In a loom, the combination of a shuttle and a race-way, a rack-bar carried by the race-way and having its teeth arranged in accordance with the distance between the warp strands, means carried by the shuttle for engaging the rack-bar, and means for relatively shifting the rack-bar as the warp strands change in the alternate action of the harness.

12. In a loom, the combination of a shuttle, a race-way, a rack-baron the race-way, shafts at each end of theshuttle and a gearwheel secured to the shaft and engaging the rack, and wheels borne by the shafts, the wheels having openings to encircle succes 'sive warp strands, the openings conforming to the apparent path of the warp strands as the wheels rotate across the line of strands.

18. In a loom, a shuttle comprising in combination, shuttle-carrier, having grooves, means for positively reciprocating the shuttle-carrier, a bobbin-frame, shafts at each end of the frame, cupped wheels at each end of the shafts and engagingthe grooves in the shuttle-carrier, a gear-wheel at one end of each shaft and a rack-bar with which the gear-wheel engages so that upon the operation of the shuttle the cupped wheels will be rotated.

14. In a loom, the combination of a raceway, a shuttle-carrier having rollers traveling on the race-way and lying below the plane of the lower rank of warp strands, and a bobbin-frame carried by guiding and supporting wheels which engage grooves in the shuttle-carrier, means for positively operating the shuttle, and means for rotating the guiding and supporting wheels.

15. In a loom, the combination of a shuttle having a bobbin-frame, and means carried by the bobbin-frame for passing across thelower rank of warp strands without touch ing them, comprising rack-wheels, a rack to be engaged by the rack-wheels and having a slotted connection with the race-way and means for automatically reciprocating the rack to shift its position at the end of each reciprocation of the shuttle.

16. In a loom, the combination of a shuttlecarrier, a bobbin-frame bearing cupped wheels in engagement with the shuttle-carrier, the wheels having openings arranged with reference to the arrangement of the warp strands, and means for moving the shuttle across the plane of the warp strands so that the openings of the wheels receive the successive warp strands. 7

17. In a loom, the combination with a shuttle-carrier and means for positively operating the shuttle, of a race-way a rack borne by the race-way, guiding and supporting cupped wheels, rack wheels operating in the rack to rotate the cupped wheels, the cupped wheels having openings, the rack, the rack wheels and the openings of the cupped wheels all being arranged with reference to the positions of theseveral warp strands.

18. In a loom comprising a shuttle, means for positively driving the shuttle through the lower rank of warp strands of a shed and means for returning it through the succeeding rank of warp strands, and means for-placing the shuttle in the same relation to the succeeding rank of strands that it had to the preceding rank. so that the shuttle passes through in each direction with out touching any of the strands in either reciprocation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

ALEXIS LE BLANC. 

